Application for Robotics Application of the Year Award (RAYA)

ISPE D/A/CH Robotics Application of the Year Award

Applications

How to apply?

  1. Select a category which fits your application best. In case of difficulties, you are allowed to optionally select a second category. In that case the jury will judge, in which category you application fits best.
  2. Describe the process automated by your application. Please follow the proposal within the template to name the physical input and output of the application and the process itself – all illustrated by meaningful pictures. Please reflect the name of the Award: It is about “robotics”. Therefore the robot should be a major enabler within your application. This role must become clear within your description of the application.
  3. Describe your application in 5 section according to the 5 evaluation criteria allow the jury to compare your application to other applications in the same category in each criteria.
  4. Provide all information necessary to explain, that your application explicitly fullfills the requirements listed below in the requirements sections.
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Submission form:

All required entry forms are to be downloaded, completed, and emailed to ISPE. The full submission should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines provided in these instructions and submitted electronically by e-mail to robotics-award@ispe-dach.org . Submissions must be received by the stated deadline and each submission must include all required information and signatures in order to be complete.

DOWNLOAD SUBMISSION FORM HERE

Final submissions are du no later than July 11, 2025 23:59 UTC-5.

88 Days
13 Hours
55 Minutes
18 Seconds

Best Practice Advisor for creating your application

We would like to support you in writing your application in the best way to convince the jury and fill out the template efficiently.

Describe the the advantage of your application in a touchable, crisp and clear way. Why does the world look different after the development of your solution?

Be brave in stating the unique selling points you believe in! But make sure to explain them in a few sentences to help the jury to understand them as well

CATEGORIES: Selecting a category helps the jury to identify comparable applications. Anyhow the jury is allowed to nominate you for an award even in a category which was not collected by yourself.

PROCESS: In order to understand the automated physical process best it helps most to get a concrete understanding of input, output and the challenge of the solution, for which you want to get the award. Picture of representative objects transporting the challenge of the task are always a good way to make it touchable!

ATTRACTIVENESS: As we are looking for most attractive robotics solutions, your main message should include exactly this: Why is the solution so attractive for the applying industry and why is the benefit of solving the task with a robot (6-13 axis robot or mobile robot) instead of classical automation.

ECONOMIC POTENTIAL: This might be hard for you to describe – best would be to ask the salesperson of the supplier or the one of the applying industry, who signed the budget approval. The jury wants to see your clear opinion about the ROI with an understandable argumentation of the “why?”

CROSS PHARMA APPLICABILITY: In order to convince the jury, you have to provide an overview about the area within pharmaceutical industry where your application can be used in production plants and laboratories.

FLEXIBILITY: The jury will value it if your automation comes with built-In adaptability. Examples are automated features for format change over, line clearance, adoption to product, built-in cleaning procedures or simplicity of re-qualification.

EASYNESS of INTEGRATION: Just imagine someone within the audience at our RAYA conference want to deploy your solution to his expected specific situation, please categorize the effort in the categories named by the jury in the template.

RESTRICTIONS: Please explain in one sentence each, why your application is included in the named focus of the award.

If you have your answers in mind for all parts described above, it will take you about an hour to complete the template. Be guided by the sentences colored in yellow – these mark all positions you must fill out in order to apply.

Criterias

Each concept or application are evaluated based on the below mentioned criterias. Please reflect the name of the Award: It is about “robotics”. Therefor the robot should be a major enabler within your application. This role must become clear within your description of the application.

  1. Within 1st priority we are focusing on the attractiveness of the applications and would like additional information to support a strong use-case and teaser describing the concept/application supported by quantified business drivers within the following areas impacted: Ergonomics, Improved Process Quality, Efficiency, 24/7 availability, Aseptic conditions, Human protection, Sustainability.

  2. Second priority is the economical potential of your application. Such calculations require assumptions which are sometimes difficult to judge – anyhow you will earn points in this category if and only if you present an argumentation based on reasonable assumptions. Finally, you must select one out of the four following “Return of investment” categories supported by your argumentation:
    < 1 year; < 3 year; < 5 years; > 5 years

  3. Third priority is attractiveness to be applied across pharma.
    In order to convince the jury you have to provide an overview about the area within pharmaceutical industry where your application can be used in production plants and laboratories.

  4. Fourth priority is the flexibility of your application. The jury will value if your automation comes with built-In adoptability. Examples are automated features for format change over, line clearance, adoption to product, built-in cleaning procedures or simplicity of re-qualification.

  5. Fifth priority is the easyness to integrate. We ask you to describe the effort of deploying your application to other customers. Categorize your application according to the five following options and describe for your arguments:
    • Plug&Play: Anyone can buy it including qualifaction, apply without customization
    • Anyone can buy it, apply without customization, but requires qualification
    • Applicable with relevant customization (to be described)
    • Concept is transferable but engineering must be adopted
    • Concept is transferable but re-design necessary

Restrictions 2025

  1. Automation of manual/physical tasks (no software application only / no RPA)

  2. Robot centric automation
    • no classic machinery without a robot
    • Mobile robotics is included in RAYA

  3. Readynesslevel: (TRL 6 or 7)
    • Minimum one installed pilot
    • installed in the intended environment (manufacturing site / R&D site)
    • safety certification started
    • qualified or qualification scheduled

  4. Applicable within pharmaceutical industry

  5. There are no regional restrictions: Applications can include robotics applications from anywhere in the world!

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